New Delhi: Actor Arjun Bijlani recently fell victim to a cyber fraud incident in which his credit card was hacked, resulting in financial loss. Recounting the harrowing experience, Bijlani revealed that unauthorized transactions were made on his credit card while he was busy during a gym session.
Arjun Bijlani on facing cyber fraud
Talking about the fraud in an interview with Hindustan Times, Arjun said, "My credit card was with me only and I was working out in the gym. During a quick break, I checked my phone and there were several messages of my credit card getting swiped after every one minute and there were continuous transactions." He added, “My wife also has a supplementary card, so I asked her and that card was also with her. So, it was obvious that the details were leaked, and we are clueless as to how it happened.”
Bijlani's vigilance saved him from a potential financial disaster. Upon receiving alarming messages from his bank, he promptly acted to block his card without delay and reported the incident to the cybercrime cell. The actor shared, "This incident was like an eye opener. What if I was sleeping at that time? A lot of people don’t check all the messages from banks, but I realised how important it is to read those texts. Luckily, I saw it and there were only seven to eight transactions that had happened till that point of time. Each transaction was for about three to five thousand, and in total the card was used for ₹40K. My credit card has a limit of 10-12 lacs, so this situation could have gone much worse if I wouldn’t have checked my phone."
Here's what Arjun Bijlani posted:
The actor also expressed his concerns over the loopholes in digital transactions. He said, "There is a procedure that you get an OTP before any credit card transaction is done, but that’s what I don’t know. I am still wondering how the transactions were going through successfully without me providing a single OTP."
The actor’s case serves as a stark reminder of the importance of staying informed in safeguarding personal finances in the digital age. “Going digital is great but this is very scary; safety is equally important. I am definitely going to change my credit card every six months from now on. I want to send a message that people should regularly change their credit card. Just cancel your credit card and reapply, you get a new one in four working days easily. There’s so much online fraud happening today even when you feel things are safe with an OTP,” he added.
On getting his money back from the bank, the actor said, "The bank and cybercrime cell are working to catch the frauds and get my money back. There is a whole process that you have to follow. I registered my complaint in the cybercrime cell online. It goes to the bank and then there is an inquiry, and if the frauds are caught, then you get your money back."